Tenderizing method and apparatus



Dec. 27, 1949 L. .1. MENGES TENDERI'ZING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1946l TUF FIN Inl INVENTOIL y A J. 5A/@E5 BY 7 R MAM HWL Patented Dec. 2.7, 19.49

TENDERIZING METHOD AND APPARATUS Louis J. Menges, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsnlnu'gli, Pa.,l a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application May 14. 1946, Serial No.`669,637

6 Claims. (Cl. Sii-19.4)

' This invention relates to a method and apparatus for tenderizing meat and particularly cuts of beef.

The principal object of my invention generally considered is to tenderize meat, and particularly cuts of beef, by placing such, while in chilled condition, in a cabinet operating with or without refrigeration, where a relatively high temperature, high humidity and air circulation are controlled and maintained, while employing germicidal 'ultra-violet radiant energy to prevent spoilage. A

Another object of my invention is to p rovide a cabinet, preferably insulated like that of a refrigerator, and having one or more access openings closed by a door or doors, an air duct at the back, air sterilizing meansy mounted in saidduct, thermostatically controlled heating means, and a lfan or other means for causing air to circulate through said duct and be discharged either below meat contained in said cabinet, or alternately above and below such meat, while the same is being tenderized.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tenderizing cabinet having an air-circulating duct, the top of said duct being outwardly flared to form a baille shield to deilect returned air above the center of the fan blades, said duct enclosing a heater, and`thermostatic means to cut said heater in and out as the airvtemperature falls` and rises with respect to a predetermined normal cabinet temperature.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a method for treating meat comprising chilling to a normal preserving temperature, enclosing said meat in an insulated cabinet, circulating the air in said cabinet over sterilizing means and said meat for about 22 hours, while heating said air when necessary to maintain its temperature above 60 F., and then again chilling 'said meat to a normal preserving' temperature.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the'description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of'a cabinet embodyinghmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, partly in end. elevation, of s uch a cabinet.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the apparatus enclosed in lthe air duct of said cabinet.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram.

Fig. 5 is a typical chart showing temperature variations during a tenderizing cycle.

2 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing a modiiication.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary portion of a wiring diagram, modied as compared with that of Fig. 4,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary portion of a wiring diagram, corresponding to Fig. '7, but showing an additional embodiment.

Referring to the drawing in detail, like parts being designated byA like reference characters, and first considering theembodime'nt of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, there is shown a cabinet- II which may be insulated like a normal refrigerating cabinet, with additions which will 'be described, except that it need not involve refrigerating machinery.

In the present embodiment, the cabinet desirably has an `interior or meat-compartment size of 5,0" wide, 251/2" deep and 461/2 high, providing a net capacity of about 35 cubic feet. Access openings I2 .and I3 are provided, closed respectively by doors II and I5. Shelves or racks I0' are used for holding rib and loin cuts of beef or the like Il, providing a capacity of about 400 lbs.

At the center of the back inside wall, a blower baille-box or air conduit I8 of special design is mounted, so as to discharge supply air at the" bottom, as through four holes I 9, two on each side of th'e box, and also through louver-type grilles 2| and 22 in the front. At the top of the box I8 is a baille shield 23 designed to deilect the returned air above the center of blades 2l of an electric air circulating fan 25.

Between the baille shield 23 and' the bafil blower box grille 2|, is mounted a. temperatureresponsive device having a vcapillary tube 26 through which a fluid a'cts on a thermostat when the air temperature in the cabinet rises or falls above or below a predetermined `normal temper ature-control setting. Inside the baille blower box are two ultra-violet generating lamps 21, preferably of the WL 782 type, 10" germicidal lamps.

These lamps are mounted to irradiate the passing air and thus inhibit the growth of bacteria; and mold. The box I8 desirably has an access opening, normally closed by a door 30, and allowing for the convenient installation and replacement of the lamps 21.

In back of the lamps 21 are mounted on insulators two 250 watt strip heaters 28, preferably l having a maximum sheath temperature of 750 F. These heaters are connected so as to cut in and out by thermostatic control when predetermined air temperature changes occur inside the cabinet. At the base orlower part of the blower The red pilot will cut in when the temperature in the cabinet, as indicated by the thermometer 53, falls below 65 F. and cut out when the temperature rises..to 68 F. indicating an energizing and deenergizing of the heaters 28. If, however, the red pilot light remains on while the temperature rises to as high as 90 F., due to some failure 36 is closed, after loading the cabinet with chilled meat, the green pilot light 35 is energized through conductors 38 and 39, as indicated in Fig. '4, and will light up. This shows that the fan 25, the motor 4l of which is only diagrammatically illustrated, as well as the lamps 2l, through the secondary winding 42 of the transformer 33, are operating.

When the temperature of the air inside the cabinet, cooled by the chilled meat, drops below a predetermined temperature such as 65 F., the thermostat-controlled hand d3 will make contact with a conducting stripM and energize thev strip heaters 28 through lines 45, 48, 5i, 52 and 46, and the red lamp 35 through conductors 45, 4T and 4B, showing that the thermostat has cut in. These strip heaters function to bring the temperature of the circulating air back to the normal for tenderizing purposes. The red pilot light 35 and heater will remain energized until the circulating air heats to a predetermined temperature, such as 68 F., and will then cut out. The cutting in and out of the heaters and indicating lamp will continue during the first few hours that 'the cold meat cuts have been acting'as refrigerant in the cabinet. 4

From the balancing or control point 68 F., the internal air temperature will rise very slowly during the remaining processing hours. At the end of the 22 hours processing period, the internal temperature of the beef cuts will be about 68 F., although the air temperature inside lthe cabinet may reach 72 to 76 F. After the meat has been processed for 22 hours, in accordance with the foregoing schedule, it is removed to a low temperature cooler where it should remain for 12to 16 hours for chilling and rlming purposes, afterl which time it can be cut in desired sizes for cooking.

Directions for operating the cabinet heretofore described, and practicing a preferred process in accordance with my invention may be as follows:

The unit should be cleaned thoroughly before loading with cuts of chilled beef or other meat. The blower box tray 29 should be supplied with water before each loading. If less than 250 lbs. of beef are to be processed, the tray should contain two iiu'id ounces of water. If more than 250 lbs. are treated, only one fluid ounce of water is necessary. The .cuts of meat should be spaced so as to allow for proper air circulation. 'Ihe main switch should be turned on and the green pilot light should bev operating. The processing time chart, an example of which is illustrated in Fig. 5. should be set and the doors I4 and i5 closed and locked.

All cuts of beef being processed are to remain in the cabinet for 22 hours. Immediately-after processing, the beef is to be removed to a cooler having an air temperature between about 35 and 40 F. and chilled until its internal temperature is between 40 and 45 F. This chilling ordinarily takes from about 12 to l5 hours. The green pilot light must remain on during the 22 hours processing period.

energized in the apparatus, the power should be turned oi and the beef removed to a low temperature cooler.

A cabinet as describedv is designed for processing beef cuts in 22 hours with the beef load vary-- ing between a minimum of 200 lbs. and a maxlmum of 400 lbs. The temperature chart of Fig. 5 shows that the, temperature of the meat during the processing may ris'e from between 35 and 40 F. to about 15 F. in 22 hours, while the air in the cabinet varies from about 65 to 84 F. In the example shown, the outside air temperature varied between 84 and 88 F.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 6, there is shown a cabinet ile which may be like the cabinet Ilv of the preceding embodiment, except that the air conduit on duct I8a contains two circulating fans 25a and 54. The fan motors 4I and 55 are connected to a clock 56, diagrammatically indicated in Fig. '7. so that one fan 25a may operate for half an hour to circulate the air in one direction and then the other fan 54 may operate for a half an hour to circulate the air in the other direction, in order to provide for more uniform treatment of meat VICt therein,

Fig. 8 shows a wiring diagram alternative to that of Fig. 7, in that it is proposed to use only one fan, the motor of which is designated at Mb and-reverse it at predetermined intervals by a clock and solenoid 51 so as to run said fan .rst in one direction and then thefothe'r, to vary the circulation of the air through the duct and thereby provide for more uniform treatment of the meat.

The refrigerating apparatus designatedas 58 in Fig. 2, if enclosed in the cabinet Il, need only be used if the meat during tenderizaton tends to rise to undesired high temperatures. It is, therefore, Vclear that ordinarily no refrigerating means,

'other than the chilled meat, need be employed.

However, if the meat used is either not chilled s uiiciently, not enough of it is being tenderized at one time, .or the exterior air temperature is abnormally high, the refrigerating apparatus may be used and automatically cut in, like the heating coils 28, if and when the temperatureof the air in the cabinet ii rises above a predetermined point. and out out when it decreases below a. predetermined point.

Although preferred embodiments of my invention have been disclosed, it will be understood that modiiications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of treating meat comprising chilling to a normal preserving temperature, enclosing said chilled meat with a sterilizing lamp, circulating air over said sterilizing lamp and meat until tenderized, while using the heat-absorbing capacity of the meat itself, in lieu of other refrigeration, to bring the temperature of the ambient air down to below room temperature, but heating said air when necessary to maintain its temperature above 60 F. and after tenderizing chilling said meat to la normal preserving temperature.

2. The method of treating meat comprising chilling to 'a normal preserving temperature, en'

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closing said chilled meat with a sterilizing lamp, circulating air over said sterilizing lamp and meat for about 22 hours, while using the heatabsorbing capacity of the meat itself, in lieu of other refrigeration, to bring the temperature of the ambient air down to below room temperature, but heating said air when necessary to maintain its temperature above 60 F. and then again chilling said meat to a normal preserving temperature.

3. The method of treating meat comprising chilling, after slaughtering, to a temperature between about 35 F. and 40 F. enclosing said meat with a sterilizing lamp and water, circulating the air over said sterilizing lamp, water, and then over said chilled meat, whereby the latter acts as the necessary refrigerant to cool said air to a temperature desired for tenderizing, heating said air when its temperature drops below 65 F. until said temperature rises to 68 F., and after such treatment for about 22 hours, chilling said meat to between about 35 and 40 F.

4. The method of treating meat comprising enclosing the same while chilled to a normal preserving temperature with a sterilizing lamp, circulating air over said sterilizing lamp and meat,

whereby the latter acts as the necessary refrigerant to cool said air to a temperature desired for tenderizing, until said meat is tenderized, while heating said air when necessary to maintain its temperature above 60 F. and cooling said air when necessary to maintain its temperature below 68 F., and after tenderizing, chilling said meat to a normal preserving temperature.

5. The method of tenderizing meat comprising enclosing the same while chilled with a sterilizing lamp, energizing said lamp, circulating air over said lamp and over said meat, whereby the latter acts as the necessary refrigerant to cool said air toa temperature desired for tenderizing,

heating the ambient air as the temperature thereof decreases below a predetermined point, and discontinuing the heating when said air temperature increases above a predetermined point. 6. The method of tenderizing meat comprising enclosing the same, while chilled to a normal preserving temperature, with an energized germicidal lamp, circulating air over said lamp, part of the time in one direction and the remainder of the time in the other direction, and around said meat| whereby the latter acts as the necessary refrigerant to cool said air to a temperature desired for'tenderizing, heating the air if its temperature decreases below a. predetermined point, and

discontinuing the heating if said air temperature increases above a predetermined point, whereby said air temperature is maintained within the range desired for tenderizing.

LOUIS J. MENGES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Num ber Name Date v.

2,169,081 James Aug. 8, 1939 2,192,348 James Mar. 5, 1940 2,419,119 Christensen Apr. 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 106,865 Australia Mar. 23, 1939 OTHER REFERENCES The Tenderization of Meat published by the Industrial Fellowship on Meat Merchandizing, Mellon Institute, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1940. 

